huìlù: 贿赂 - Bribery, Bribe

• Keywords: huìlù, 贿赂, bribe in Chinese, bribery in China, Chinese word for corruption, to bribe, business ethics in China, anti-corruption, 行贿, 受贿, Chinese legal terms, HSK 6 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn about the Chinese term 贿赂 (huìlù), the formal word for “bribery” or “to bribe.” This page explores its meaning, cultural significance in contrast to gift-giving (送礼) and networking (关系), and its practical usage in legal, business, and media contexts in modern China. Discover how to use this important HSK 6 term correctly through numerous example sentences and analysis.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): huìlù
• Part of Speech: Noun, Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: The act of giving or receiving a bribe; to bribe.
• In a Nutshell: 贿赂 (huìlù) is a serious and formal term that refers to the illegal act of giving money, valuables, or favors to someone in a position of power (like a government official or company executive) to influence their decisions or actions for personal gain. It carries a strong negative connotation and is central to discussions about corruption and law in China.

• 贿 (huì): This character is composed of the radical 贝 (bèi), which means “shell” and was used as currency in ancient China, and 有 (yǒu), which means “to have” or “to provide”. Together, they suggest providing valuables or money.
• 赂 (lù): This character also contains the 贝 (bèi) radical for money or valuables. It's combined with 各 (gè), meaning “each” or “every”. This combination can be interpreted as distributing valuables to various parties to gain influence.

When combined, 贿赂 (huìlù) literally means “to give valuables,” but has evolved to exclusively mean doing so for a corrupt, illegal purpose—the act of bribery.

In Chinese culture, the line between relationship-building through gift-giving and illegal bribery is critically important, yet can be confusing for outsiders. 贿赂 (huìlù) is firmly on the illegal side of that line. A key cultural comparison is between 贿赂 (huìlù) and the concept of 关系 (guānxi).

• 关系 (guānxi) is about building a long-term network of mutual obligation and trust. It often involves gift-giving (送礼 sòng lǐ) on holidays or special occasions as a sign of respect and to maintain the relationship. This is a normal part of social and business culture. For example, giving a client a box of mooncakes during the Mid-Autumn Festival strengthens guānxi.
• 贿赂 (huìlù), however, is transactional and corrupt. It is a quid pro quo exchange with a clear, often illegal, objective. For example, giving a government official a large sum of cash to approve a construction permit is 贿赂.

While guānxi operates in a gray area of social norms, huìlù is a black-and-white legal issue. China's government has waged high-profile anti-corruption (反腐 bài fǎn fǔ) campaigns, making the act of 贿赂 a topic of immense public and legal significance. Understanding this distinction is vital for anyone doing business or living in China.

贿赂 (huìlù) is a formal word. You will most often encounter it in the following contexts:

• News and Media: In reports about corruption, legal cases, and government scandals.
• Legal Documents: In contracts, laws, and court proceedings.
• Business and Corporate Policy: In company ethics guidelines and anti-bribery training.
• Formal Discussions: When discussing ethics, law, or corruption.

It is not a casual word. For trivial situations, like trying to persuade a friend with a small treat, you would never use 贿赂. In situations that are corrupt but discussed colloquially, people might use euphemisms like 塞红包 (sāi hóngbāo), “to stuff a red envelope,” or 好处费 (hǎochù fèi), “advantage fee.”

• Example 1:
  • 他因涉嫌贿赂政府官员而被捕。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīn shèxián huìlù zhèngfǔ guānyuán ér bèi bǔ.
  • English: He was arrested on suspicion of bribing government officials.
  • Analysis: A very common and formal usage, typical of a news report or legal statement. “涉嫌 (shèxián)” means “to be suspected of.”
• Example 2:
  • 我们公司的政策严禁任何形式的商业贿赂。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen gōngsī de zhèngcè yánjìn rènhé xíngshì de shāngyè huìlù.
  • English: Our company's policy strictly prohibits any form of commercial bribery.
  • Analysis: This shows 贿赂 used as a noun in a formal business context. “商业贿赂 (shāngyè huìlù)” is the specific term for commercial bribery.
• Example 3:
  • 行贿和受贿都是贿赂犯罪，将受到法律的严惩。
  • Pinyin: Xínghuì hé shòuhuì dōu shì huìlù fànzuì, jiāng shòudào fǎlǜ de yánchéng.
  • English: Both giving and accepting bribes are bribery crimes and will be severely punished by the law.
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces two key related terms: 行贿 (xínghuì - to give a bribe) and 受贿 (shòuhuì - to receive a bribe). 贿赂 is used here as a general category of crime.
• Example 4:
  • 为了拿到那个合同，他试图贿赂项目经理。
  • Pinyin: Wèile ná dào nàge hétóng, tā shìtú huìlù xiàngmù jīnglǐ.
  • English: In order to get that contract, he attempted to bribe the project manager.
  • Analysis: Here, 贿赂 is used as a verb, “to bribe.” “试图 (shìtú)” means “to attempt.”
• Example 5:
  • 这起贿赂案牵涉到多名高级官员。
  • Pinyin: Zhè qǐ huìlù àn qiānshè dào duō míng gāojí guānyuán.
  • English: This bribery case involves several high-ranking officials.
  • Analysis: “贿赂案 (huìlù àn)” means “bribery case,” a common collocation in legal and news contexts.
• Example 6:
  • 他拒绝用贿赂的方式来解决问题。
  • Pinyin: Tā jùjué yòng huìlù de fāngshì lái jiějué wèntí.
  • English: He refused to use bribery as a way to solve the problem.
  • Analysis: This sentence frames 贿赂 as a “method” or “way” (方式), highlighting a moral choice.
• Example 7:
  • 这笔钱到底是合法的佣金还是非法的贿赂？
  • Pinyin: Zhè bǐ qián dàodǐ shì héfǎ de yōngjīn háishì fēifǎ de huìlù?
  • English: Is this sum of money a legal commission or an illegal bribe?
  • Analysis: This sentence effectively contrasts a legitimate payment (佣金 - yōngjīn) with a bribe, showing the importance of legal distinctions.
• Example 8:
  • 防止和惩治贿赂是维护市场公平的关键。
  • Pinyin: Fángzhǐ hé chéngzhì huìlù shì wéihù shìchǎng gōngpíng de guānjiàn.
  • English: Preventing and punishing bribery is key to maintaining market fairness.
  • Analysis: This is a formal, almost academic sentence about the societal function of combating bribery.
• Example 9:
  • 调查人员正在寻找他收受贿赂的证据。
  • Pinyin: Diàochá rényuán zhèngzài xúnzhǎo tā shōushòu huìlù de zhèngjù.
  • English: The investigators are searching for evidence that he accepted bribes.
  • Analysis: “收受贿赂 (shōushòu huìlù)” is a formal way of saying “to accept/receive bribes,” synonymous with 受贿.
• Example 10:
  • 在古代，向官员贿赂是常见的潜规则之一。
  • Pinyin: Zài gǔdài, xiàng guānyuán huìlù shì chángjiàn de qián guīzé zhī yī.
  • English: In ancient times, bribing officials was one of the common unspoken rules.
  • Analysis: This example uses 贿赂 in a historical context and connects it to the modern concept of 潜规则 (qián guīzé) or “unspoken rules.”

• Mistake: Confusing 贿赂 (huìlù) with general gift-giving (送礼 sòng lǐ). This is the most common pitfall for learners. 贿赂 is always illegal and implies a corrupt intent to gain an unfair advantage. Gift-giving is a social custom.
  • Correct: 过年给老板送一盒茶叶是送礼。(Guònián gěi lǎobǎn sòng yī hé cháyè shì sòng lǐ.) - Giving the boss a box of tea for the New Year is giving a gift.
  • Incorrect: ~~过年给老板送一盒茶叶是贿赂。~~ (This implies you are bribing your boss with tea for a corrupt purpose, which is an exaggeration unless the “tea” is a disguise for something far more valuable).
  • Correct: 为了升职给老板一辆车是贿赂。(Wèile shēngzhí gěi lǎobǎn yī liàng chē shì huìlù.) - Giving the boss a car for a promotion is bribery.
• Mistake: Using 贿赂 (huìlù) in casual, joking situations. In English, you might say, “I'll bribe you with pizza to help me move.” In Chinese, using 贿赂 would sound overly serious and strange. Instead, you would just say something like: “你帮我搬家，我请你吃比萨。” (Nǐ bāng wǒ bānjiā, wǒ qǐng nǐ chī bǐsà. - If you help me move, I'll treat you to pizza.)

• 腐败 (fǔbài) - Corruption. The general, overarching concept of which bribery is a major part.
• 贪污 (tānwū) - Embezzlement; graft. Specifically refers to the misappropriation of public or company funds by someone in a position of trust. Often goes hand-in-hand with bribery.
• 行贿 (xínghuì) - The specific legal term for the act of *giving* a bribe (verb).
• 受贿 (shòuhuì) - The specific legal term for the act of *receiving* a bribe (verb).
• 回扣 (huíkòu) - A kickback. A specific form of bribery where a portion of a payment is returned to a person who facilitated the transaction.
• 关系 (guānxi) - Social networks; connections. A key cultural concept that is about building relationships, which must be distinguished from the illegal act of 贿赂.
• 送礼 (sòng lǐ) - To give a gift. A socially acceptable practice that can, in some contexts, be a euphemism for a bribe, but is not inherently corrupt.
• 红包 (hóngbāo) - Red envelope (containing money). Can be a legitimate gift (e.g., at weddings, Chinese New Year) or a vehicle for a bribe. Context is everything.
• 潜规则 (qián guīzé) - “Unspoken rules.” The set of unwritten, unofficial rules and procedures that are often necessary to get things done, which may sometimes involve bribery.
• 好处费 (hǎochù fèi) - Literally “advantage fee.” A colloquial term for a bribe or a “facilitation payment.”